Tuesday, December 01, 2009

HAPPY ENDINGS

Updates to recent Brigg Blog postings:

We now have a final total raised from Saturday's charity football match at The Hawthorns - "a fantastic £841."

Work is now fully underway on the Yarborough Road-Churchill Avenue public footpath improvements, and we understand North Lincolnshire Council is behind the work. Nice one!

A small bundle of old copies of the Lincolnshire and South Humberside Times will be laid out for visitors to browse through at tonight's BASH meeting devoted to the history of the weekly newspaper, which had its editorial offices at 57 Wrawby Street. The get-together is at Brigg Servicemen's Club (8pm start). Free entry - all welcome.

Monday, November 30, 2009

PUBLIC PATH STILL CLOSED OFF


This public footpath - linking Yarborough Road and Churchill Avenue - has now been closed off for the best part of a week - at least.
However, close inspection this morning suggests it has been tidied up. There's nothing to say by whom - or, indeed, who was given the authority to close it off. Just signs and small barriers at both ends.
Isn't it usual to pin public notices up when rights of way are being closed off to the public or affected in any way?


North Lincolnshire Council is the authority which oversees public rights of way. It North Lincs is responsible for the apparent tidy-up, congratulations and thanks; if it's not North Lincs, maybe their staff should be taking a look to see when the path will reopen.
The walkway is little-used and we don't think many people can have been inconvenienced by the (hopefully very temporary) closure.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

SUPPORT FOR OUR WOUNDED


Through a magnificent, all-round effort an estimated £800+ was raised for charity last night during, and after, a highly successful football match at The Hawthorns between the Brigg Amateurs Old Boys' X1 and a team representing Brigg Town FC. The final total will be published on Brigg Blog, once confirmed.

Prior to the match, the players lined up around the centre circle and they, and the crowd, observed a minute's silence in memory of members of the Armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Much hard work went into organising the game - on and off the field. Notably from Mark Cawkwell and family and Chris Faill, who masterminded the Brigg Amateurs X1. That took some doing as we had enough players to field two teams, resulting in frequent substitutions.
A buffet and disco were both enjoyed after the match in the clubhouse.
The result was unimportant but those Amateurs stalwarts reading this who didn't manage to get to the game should look away now...




...It ended in an 8-4 win for the Zebras, although Amateurs are claiming they scored the best goal of the night, Nigel Beacock drilling the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Brian Clark, from Broughton, kindly refereed the game - played under lights - and everyone involved is keen to thank Brigg Town FC for so generously making available their fine facilities. (Some of us could remember the old wooden green-painted changing rooms).
In turn, the players tried very hard to boost bar takings - putting back fluids being so important after strenuous exercise!
Many spectators turned out, and Brigg Town clubhouse regulars gave very generously during, and after, the match to help swell the coffers.
Last night's cash will help a team of local service personnel in their quest to undertake a sponsored trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, in Africa, which is planned to be a really massive fundraiser for the Help For Heroes charity next year. Each team is being set a fundraising target of £3,400 to qualify for the trek.

Here are the details, taken from the Help for Heroes - Support For Our Wounded website http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
The Kilimanjaro trek is a very ambitious and inspiring H4H challenge. Travelling through all four seasons in one week, from humid rainforest to freezing summit, you will push your senses to the limit with outstanding rewards.
This is a challenging trek at altitude, climbing one of the most impressive and well-known mountains in the world. Extreme hard work, training and dedication is rewarded by awe-inspiring scenery, unique wildlife and a life changing experience you will never forget.
The highest freestanding mountain in the world, Kilimanjaro is also the highest mountain on the African continent at 5896m. It’s also one of the biggest volcanoes on Earth, covering an area of approximately 388,500 hectares. Huge permanent glaciers flow down from the snow-capped summit, rising high above the dusty plains below. Our trek takes the less-trodden Machame route, allowing us to camp and fully appreciate the splendour of our surroundings and the clear night skies. We pass through thick forest, moorland and scree enroute to the highest point in Africa; Uhuru Peak.

Kilimanjaro Trek Guide Itinerary
DAY 1: Fly London to Kilimanjaro International airport
DAY 2: Arrive Kilimanjaro; transfer to Moshi town
DAY 3: Trek through dense jungle to Machame camp, 3100m
DAY 4: Through forest to Shira Plateau; on to camp at Shira caves, 3840m
DAY 5: Trek high moorland (4800m) via Lava Tower to Barranco Hut (3900m)
DAY 6: Into Great Barranco ravine; trek via Karanga valley over scree to camp (4600m)
DAY 7: Steep trek to summit glaciers, including Uhuru Peak (5896m); begin descent
DAY 8: Descend through rainforest and finish in Moshi for a large celebration
DAY 9: Free time in Moshi; chance to visit local community project; flight departs
DAY 10: Arrive UK

Registration Fee: £400.00
Fundraising Target (minimum): £3,400.00 - (Excluding Registration Fee).

Saturday, November 28, 2009

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

Brigg should have its own Community Plan for the first time, the town council believes.
Community Plans are wish lists of projects and initiatives residents want to see developed, or progressed, in the future - set out in nicely-presented form and made available to the public.
It shouldn't prove a burden on council tax payers in Brigg, as a grant can be sought from the North Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership.
Coun Tom Glossop told fellow town councillors he took a positive view of working towards a Brigg Community Plan, which might take 18 months, or two years, to complete. But he urged speedy action while the money was available.
Coun Ann Eardley thought it would be a good idea to put a Commmunity Plan questionnaire in the Brigg Matters newsletter.
Mike Campion was not against the idea, but pointed out it would take up a lot of time within the council.
Deputy Town Mayor Coun Ben Nobbs revealed he had been involved in producing a Community Plan for Winterton, which took about a year. As it reflected public opinion, the plan was useful when it came to bidding for grants.
But Coun Jenny Bell said although some things looked good on paper there was not always a positive end result.
The town council agreed to support the idea of a Brigg Community Plan. Watch Brigg Blog for developments. Perhaps a public meeting will follow sometime next year.
No thoughts have yet been given to what the Brigg Community Plan's contents might be. But how about kicking off with development of the Recreation Ground, off Wrawby Road (seen below)?

Friday, November 27, 2009

COLLECTING EVIDENCE

Brigg Town Council is now looking to find evidence to support its contention that Market Lane has long been a public right of way, North Lincolnshire Council having granted planning permission for gates recently erected at one of its entrances (off the Market Place).
Carl Sherwood, one of the Brigg area's representatives on the unitary authority, told Brigg Town Council's monthly meeting that he had spoken to North Lincolnshire staff but it had been explained to him that there was "no right of appeal" against the planning decision.
Instead, he suggested getting "as much information together as possible" to present "a very good case" to the highways department on the right of way issue.
The Town Council has already studied Nick Lyons' local history group book on the Courtyards of Brigg (circa 1982), which includes a picture looking along Market Lane in the 1950s, plus other information about the lane, gleaned from long-standing Brigg folk.
Next step for town councillors could be to visit Lincolnshire Archives, in Lincoln, to look for further information in the files. A small budget of up to £100 has been set aside for research purposes, although it may not be needed.
A report prepared by planning staff for North Lincolnshire councillors said: "Market Lane is not shown as a public right of way on the Definitive Map and it has been confirmed that the land is not a highway. Therefore the principle of erecting a form of boundary treatment such as a gate on private land is considered to be acceptable. The gates do not open onto the highway so no issue has been raised by the council’s
highway department.
"At the previous committee meeting on 14 October a query was raised about whether Market Lane is an adopted highway. Subsequently the council’s highway department have confirmed that their records show that Market Lane is not an adopted highway on the Definitive Map.
"The applicant has stated that the gates are left open during weekdays to allow continued access between Market Place and Springs Way. However there is no planning requirement for these gates to remain open to the public at any time during the week and, as stated previously, Market Lane is not shown as a public right of way on the Definitive Map. Furthermore the public can still gain access to the Market Place from Springs Way via Cary Lane and Springs Parade. Therefore access to the Market Place is not restricted by the retention of these gates."

GREEN FOR GO


Brigg Millennium Green, on Elwes Street, is cared for by a small, well-meaning group - a trust having been formed some time ago.
Their work includes overseeing this green area near the Old River Ancholme, established as a Year 2000 project.
Town councillor Jackie Brock has taken over as secretary, the AGM having been held at the Nelthorpe Arms (Scanlon's), in Bridge Street.

MILESTONE REACHED

Congratulations and thanks to whoever, in the past day or two, ticked out site counter round to 20,000. If you like Brigg Blog, please tell your friends and relatives. Deputy Town Mayor, Coun Ben Nobbs, is very kindly giving us a "plug" in the next Brigg Matters newsletter. We aren't in competition with the Scunthorpe Telegraph's website www.thisisbrigg.co.uk - our content, as you know, is more views, gossip and snippets, not "hard news" reporting, as they call it in the trade. We leave that to the Telegraph and its website.